Monica Lewinsky says she no longer needs an apology from Bill Clinton
Monica Lewinsky is "grateful" to no longer feel the need for an apology from former President Bill Clinton — even though she thinks he should "want to" give one.
The former White House intern appeared on NBC's Today ahead of the Tuesday premiere of FX's Impeachment: American Crime Story, the new series that dramatizes Clinton's affair with then 22-year-old Lewinsky in the 1990s and his subsequent impeachment. When asked whether Clinton owes it to her to personally apologize, Lewinsky explained she doesn't need that resolution the way she once did.
"There was a long period before my life changed in the last six or seven years where I felt a lot in terms of there not being this resolution," she said. "And I'm very grateful that I don't have that feeling anymore. I don't need it."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
At the same time, Lewinsky added that Clinton "should want to apologize, in the same way that I want to apologize any chance I get to people that I've hurt and my actions have hurt." Lewinsky previously wrote in Vanity Fair that she's "less disappointed by" Clinton failing to apologize to her personally but "more disappointed for him," as "he would be a better man for it ... and we, in turn, a better society." In 2018, Clinton said that he "did say, publicly, on more than one occasion, that I was sorry," but he argued "I do not" owe Lewinsky a personal apology.
Lewinsky in the Today interview also reflected on feeling "nervous" for audiences to see "a lot of behavior that I regret" in Impeachment, and she addressed the question of whether the Clinton scandal might have unfolded differently had it played out today rather than in the 1990s.
"It would be different," Lewinsky said. "I don't know that it would be as different as people want to think it would be."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
NY attorney general asks public for ICE raid footageSpeed Read Rep. Dan Goldman claims ICE wrongly detained four US citizens in the Canal Street raid and held them for a whole day without charges
-
Trump’s huge ballroom to replace razed East WingSpeed Read The White House’s east wing is being torn down amid ballroom construction
-
Trump expands boat strikes to Pacific, killing 5 moreSpeed Read The US military destroyed two more alleged drug smuggling boats in international waters
-
Trump demands millions from his administrationSpeed Read The president has requested $230 million in compensation from the Justice Department for previous federal investigations
-
Trump nominee in limbo after racist texts leakSpeed Read Paul Ingrassia lost Republican support following the exposure of past racist text messages
-
Trump begins East Wing demolition for ballroomspeed read The president’s new construction will cost $250 million
-
Appeals court clears Trump’s Portland troop deploymentSpeed Read A divided federal appeals court ruled that President Trump can send the National Guard to Portland
-
Millions turn out for anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ ralliesSpeed Read An estimated 7 million people participated, 2 million more than at the first ‘No Kings’ protest in June



